EQUIPMENT KNOWLEDGE · PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

Meat Grinder

A meat grinder cuts chilled meat through a rotating knife and perforated plate to produce mince of a controlled texture for burgers, sausages, forcemeats, and other preparations.

Best Uses

Beef mince, pork mince, sausage meat, meatballs, pâté mixtures, kebab mixtures, and custom blends of meat and fat.

What to Look For

• Motor power appropriate to production volume.
• Multiple grinding plates for different textures.
• Food-contact parts that disassemble easily for sanitation.
• A feed tray and pusher designed for safe loading.

Correct Use

Keep meat, fat, and grinding components cold, trim sinew where necessary, cut pieces to fit the feed tube, and allow the auger to pull product through without forcing it.

Common Mistakes

• Grinding warm meat and smearing the fat.
• Using dull knives or mismatched plates.
• Pushing food with hands instead of the supplied pusher.

Chef’s Notes

Temperature control is central to clean grinding. Cold meat produces a defined texture, better fat distribution, and more predictable emulsification in sausage work.

Related Equipment

Sausage stuffer, digital kitchen scale, food processor, vacuum sealer, and instant-read thermometer.